GOP longshot candidate Perry Johnson has dropped out of the race.
I once dubbed him a “Conhead” after Connor Roy from the show Succession because it seemed as though that character was very similar to Perry Johnson.
And that is my favorite TV show of all time by the way, so it’s an honor of a nickname Perry!
But the bigger honor is Johnson dropping out of the race and endorsing President Donald J. Trump!
Take a look:
Having suspended my campaign, I am officially endorsing @realDonaldTrump for President of the United States. We must beat @joebiden to save this country and Donald Trump is the only candidate who can do it. My full statement is below. #maga pic.twitter.com/eV7kRDAmeo
— Perry Johnson (@PJQualityGuru) October 23, 2023
Having suspended my campaign, I am officially endorsing
@realDonaldTrump
for President of the United States. We must beat
@joebiden to save this country and Donald Trump is the only candidate who can do it. My full statement is below. #maga
That’s right….#MAGA baby!
Here is his full endorsement letter:
Thank you Perry, very kind and very smart!
And very TRUE!
Johnson received much praise on Twitter for the endorsement:
Very cool, Perry!
— ALX 🇺🇸 (@alx) October 23, 2023
Thank you. I hope the rest of the GOP candidates follow your lead.
— Cari Kelemen (@KelemenCari) October 23, 2023
Class act there Perry!
— Monie (@MoniePJ) October 23, 2023
Here’s more on the story, from CBS News:
Republican businessman Perry Johnson suspended his long-shot bid for president on Friday after failing to gain traction in the race.
Johnson said the fact that he wasn’t permitted to participate in the debates played a major role in his decision. He accused the Republican National Committee of using “authoritarian power” to keep him off the debate stage despite the RNC contending he hadn’t met the necessary polling and donor qualifications.
“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, the people should decide the next president of the United States, not the head of the RNC and her cronies,” Johnson wrote in a statement. “With no opportunity to share my vision on the debate stage, I have decided at this time, suspending my campaign is the right thing to do.”
An RNC spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Johnson maintained he was only suspending his campaign, not officially withdrawing, and would keep a small political team on staff in case the trajectory of the race changed.
He is the third Republican candidate to pause or end his campaign in a primary contest in which former President Donald Trump holds a commanding lead in early polling. Miami Mayor Francis Suarez suspended his campaign in August, and former Texas congressman Will Hurd dropped out earlier this month.
Johnson filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission after failing to qualify for the first GOP presidential debate in August, claiming that he was left off the stage not because he hadn’t met the polling and donor qualifications but because he was “a political outsider.”
He also didn’t qualify for the second debate.
And from NBC News:
“With no opportunity to share my vision on the debate stage, I have decided at this time suspending my campaign is the right thing to do,” wrote Perry Johnson in a statement announcing his decision.
The 75-year-old businessman failed to register in the majority of polls, and when he was listed as an option, he often registered at 0%.
Johnson has been outspoken about his disdain for the Republican National Committee and chair Ronna McDaniel after failing to qualify for the first GOP debate. While dropping out, Johnson took one last dig: “The people should decide the next president of the United States, not the head of the RNC and her cronies,” wrote Johnson.
Johnson, a multi-millionaire, spent $3.5 million on advertising this year to no avail, per AdImpact, an ad-tracking service.
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